The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1887-01-01


at least, because he would not agree to
sell several Of the nations most valu.
able assets to satisfy claims and cray.
ings of a foreign creditor who wanted
to be ruler in fact Of the realm. Nomi-
nees of this foreign creditor were
placed in the seats Of the deposed Min
sters, but the national instincts of
the dominant party revolted at such
government and on a favorable oppor-
tunity overthrow it. The third Minis
try that faced the Legislature had the
same head as the two previous ones,
but otherwise it represented the "native
idea" namely that native Hawaiians
should govern their ancestral dominions
themselves. How the foreign Premier
held on to his place is one of those
mysteries that make Mr. Gibson the
enigmatical character Of all Hawaiian
history. Since the session there has
been another shuttle in the Cabinet,
but only Of expediency, one native mem
Der taking the place Of another Now
the Anglo-Saxon Of destined universal
dominion, as he fondly believes, looks
on with curiosity at a race lately res.
cued from barbarisn casting off foreign
towing lines and trying to navigate its
ship Of state for itself
Coming back to the session, it was
the longest for many years, il not on
record, occupying rso working days
covering term Of four months and
i half Among its more notable features
were the small attendance OF MOBILES,
some being out Of the Kingdom and
those at home being very irregular in
appearance at the Assembly chambers;
the ruling majority of Representatives
being composed mostly Of salaried
Government officials, and the existence
Of three parties in the House-the
Government party the Kings party
doth these being the component parts
Of the National party that carried
the elections), and the Independent
party. The Kings party held the bal
ance Of power and tyrannized over the
first two Cabinets in power during the
session. All the parties showed great
strength IN turns, by skillful deals
the weaker ones taking ever on ooca-
sions disgrunted members Of the domi-
nant faction. Without acknowledged
leadership, with no strong hand to
shape policy or direct deliberations, it
is no wonder that some Of the most in
congruous and foolish pieces OF legisla-
ton should have been passed by such
body, and that the expenditures for
the current period should have been
i iaioSh W loul ANU lldi ulllllOuS Vi
dollars with revenue at the most san
guine estimate not exceeding three
millions to meet them. An act author
izing loan Of two millions for paying
off debt and providing useful public
works has resulted in the loan being
placed in England with remarkable
ease Although the discount is heavy,
it is not so much so as that on previous
borrowing by the Kingdom.
The new year opens with reason
able prospect Of being prosperous
one for Hawaii. A large portion Of
Ithe sugar crop is assured better prices,
relatively to the market, than last year,
under the terms OF an agreement with
the sugar refinery. There will be
larger crop than ever before unless the
signs fail, and with the American treaty
renewed for seven years, as seems prob
able will be the case, much greater
activity may be anticipated in the
susar-growing industry. Things look
hopeful for the floating Of the Oahu
colonization scheme in England, which
would give an immense impetus to in.
dustry and trade on this island. A
continuation Of happy immunity from
pestilence and grave public disaster
can be hoped for, although the former
should be worked for too by very neces-
sary sanitary measures For itself the
HERALD promises to do what it can
during the New Year to promote the
welfare of the nation, as we'll as keep
its constituents wel-informed on pass
ing events great and small. With the
most grateful feelings for the public
that has so generously sustained our
journalistic enterprise, during the four